History

Key words

Abstract

This research aims at offering an explanation to a toponymic microstructure, analysing to what extent this can be classified in a type already discussed in some works of specialty under the name of hydronymic differentiation. Neutralization of an opposition created at the name level between a watercourse and its main tributary, as a result of a process of hydronymic extension, is marked at the denominative level through the substitution of the basic form of the hydronym by its diminutive form. In order to monitor a possible evolution of the relationship of designation, diverse sources have been used, relevant for an analysis of the names both at popular level and official one, noted in written documents or recorded in the field through direct inquiries. The attestations lead to the conclusion that we do have a hydronymic differentiation, at least at a certain level, but in this case we don’t have an extension of the name of the main tributary over the confluent watercourse.